LIFE OF PARLIAMENT,

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19313, 20 July 1934, Page 5

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT,

FOUR-YEAR PERIOD PERMANENT.

BILL TO BE INTRODUCED

(Times Correspondent.) WE L LIN G T ON, Ti i urs day

The permanent extension of the life of Parliament from three to four years is Relieved to he the object of the Electoral Amendment Bill (No. 2), notice of which was given in the House of Representatives to-day by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. By section 35 of the Finance Act passed during the emergency session in 1932 the duration of the present Parliament was extended by one year, so that the next general election will now take place next year instead of at the end of this year, as it would have done had no extension been made. The purpose of the present Bill is to extend this provision to subsequent Parliaments, thus making a maximum Interval of four years between general elections. An Electoral Amendment Bill providing for permanent four-year Parliaments was introduced two sessions ago but not proceeded with. In .that measure there was also a consequential amendment In the direction of providing that the elections of licensing committees should take place every fourth year instead of triennially as at present. No specific provision is necessary regarding the licensing poll. No such poll was taken at the last general election in 1931, a postponement Bill having been passed by Parliament earlier in the year. It- was thereby decided that the poll should he taken at the second general election after I he passing of the Act, which is next year. The main Licensing Act of 1908 simply provides that the licensing poll shall be taken on the day of the general election.